Trial For Man Accused Of Killing Tecumseh Officer To Begin Wednesday

The trial for a man accused of killing a Tecumseh police officer is set to start Wednesday. 

Byron Shepard is facing the death penalty after a 2017 shootout with police.

This all stems from a traffic stop for a defective tail light that tragically turned deadly.

Shepard is accused of killing 22-year-old officer Justin Terney. Shepard was a passenger in the car that was pulled over and he had warrants out for his arrest.

In video from the stop, Shepard can be seen running away. Investigators said Terney first used a taser on Shepard, but that led to a shootout.

Both were taken to the hospital, but Terney did not survive. 

Back in 2017, News 9 talked to Richard Smothermon, who was serving as the Pottawatomie County District Attorney for the case.

“He was a perfect gentleman to the driver of the vehicle and the suspect until such time as he ran," said Smothermon.

Shepard, a felon, is now charged with first degree murder.

His co-defendant in the case, the driver the night Terney was shot, Brooklyn Williams was sentenced earlier this year to 25 years in prison for second degree murder.

Officials said it took the legals teams a little over a week to select the jury for this trial.

The current county District Attorney had a conflict of interest in the case, so Cleveland County District Attorney, Greg Mashburn, has taken over the prosecution.

His team plans to focus on what happened that night, Shepard's criminal history and a phone call made in jail that could be pivotal in the case.

The trial starts at 9 a.m.